The North Star
by awomanontheverge
Summary: Regina shuts her eyes and inhales slowly, unable to stifle the onslaught of tears that spill from beneath closed lids. She waits for an overwhelming rush of relief, the confidence and clarity Emma had promised, but it never comes. If the North Star is supposed to remind her of home, why, then, does she feel so alone?


**A/N: Reviews fuel my writing soul.**

Regina shivers, pulling the beige trench coat tighter against her body. Her skin burns as the crisp winter air trickles over it and draws a blood to the surface. White blankets of snow coat the sidewalks of Storybrooke, glistening beautifully in the moonlight. A soft crunch sounds from beneath her heeled boots where their weight crushes through the snow, leaving thin tracks behind. Lampposts line the streets and cast a long shadow behind her. The black outline looks bony, jarred and frail. It's hardly a shadow, more of a reflection. Regina sighs.

She walks past Granny's Diner, catching a glimpse of the bustle inside through the corner of her eye. It's late, but the restaurant is full of happy families and smiling couples. Little traces of laughter and music trickle through the walls into the night.

With her head bowed, Regina inhales an icy breath and continues on.

Her destination isn't far from the diner and she arrives within minutes. The rhythmic 'whoosh' of waves greets her and the salty smell of sea water fills her nostrils; surges of memories swirl around her head with each crest and fall of the ocean, remembrances of happier times that seem like a lifetime ago.

"_Come with me." Emma reached forward and grabbed Regina's wrist, tugging her playfully across the shore._

_Regina stumbled forward, barely having enough time to kick off her heels before her feet sunk into sand. The night's air mixed with the cool water made her shiver. She chattered her teeth for added effect, hoping the blonde would catch on and take them home. Unsurprisingly, Emma continued on. "Ms. Swan, what on Earth are you-"_

"_I want to show you something," Emma explained._

_Regina merely cocked her head in response. She trailed behind Emma dutifully and raised her brow curiously as they stopped in front of Henry's newly finished castle. "If this is what you want to show me, Sheriff, I can assure you I know about it. I drew the plans. I oversaw the construction. I-"_

"_Hush," Emma scolded. Gently, she let go of Regina's wrist and climbed up the tiny ladder attached to the side of the fort. She turned her head over her shoulder, frowning as the Mayor's feet remained firmly planted in the sand. "Come on," she whined. "I promise you'll like it."_

_With a roll of her eyes, Regina stepped forward and carefully ascended the ladder._

_A few moments later, she arrived at the top of the castle. She shimmied forward on her hands and knees next to where Emma was sprawled. Blonde tresses cascaded across the wooden planks of the fort, twisting and curling rhythmically like the ocean waves before them. Each ringlet glowed below the moonlight like a halo. Emma Swan: ever the savior._

"_Look," Emma said softly, tapping at Regina's side before pointing toward the sky. "Do you see?"_

_Regina shifted uncomfortably in the cramped space. She looked up and squinted. "Stars." _

_Emma nodded._

"_You left my son alone with that dreadful teacher of his so we could look at-"_

"_The North Star," Emma began. "It's said to be the brightest star in the night's sky. Once, when I was much younger, my foster mother explained to me that when you are lost, you can look to the North Star to guide you. It is always there, you just have to search for it." She bit her bottom lip and paused for a moment. "When I felt lost or alone, I'd sneak up to the roof of the house and just gaze into the sky." Tentatively, she took Regina's hand in hers and gave it a light squeeze but kept her gaze upward. "I've always thought of it as a sign. It tells me that I am where I need to be. I'm home."_

Regina steps forward onto the shore, a mixture of snow and sand crunching beneath her feet. She lifts her head slowly. Orange-brown sand is now colorless under winter's veil. The nights have been cold but not steadily below freezing, and the Atlantic Ocean roars mightily. It is strong and tireless, much like her savior. Her pulse quickens at the thought.

A gust of icy wind whisks beneath Regina's coat and she whimpers before crossing her arms securely over her chest. She lifts her head and gazes up at the sky. Gloomy clusters of clouds hover above as a sign of the impending snowstorm to come, said to be the worst of the season. Silently, she wills the heavens on. There is nothing left for the storm to damage. She is already hopelessly broken.

Regina slowly looks across the sky, disheartened at the foggy hue it has taken.

And then, a light flickers in the corner of her eye. Her heart pounds wildly in her chest and she turns, her gaze bouncing back and forth across the night's sky. It's there, she knows she saw it. She strains her neck to catch another glimpse.

The North Star.

Regina shuts her eyes and inhales slowly, unable to stifle the onslaught of tears that spill from beneath closed lids. She waits for an overwhelming rush of relief, the confidence and clarity Emma had promised, but it never comes.

If the North Star is supposed to remind her of home, why, then, does she feel so alone?


End file.
